Comparative analysis of dental arch width and inter-hamular notch distance with maxillary anterior teeth width among young dentulous Gujarati individuals

Appropriate selection of shape and form of artificial teeth is of vital importance in order to make the prosthesis look natural. The intraoral and extraoral landmarks can serve as helpful guides for the same. The current study was undertaken with the aim of comparing the interhamular-notch distance and the arch width (via inter-molar distance) with the dimensions of anterior teeth to determine if a correlation exits between them. 50 participants (39 females and 11 males) fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria were selected. Full arch maxillary impressions were made in irreversible hydrocolloid material and type III dental stone was used to obtain the casts. The distance between bilateral hamular notches (IHND) and between the mesiopalatal cusp tips of both first molarsleft (IMD) were recorded. These measures were then compared with the straight distance between cusp tips of left and right maxillary canine (CCS) and total combined width of six anterior teeth (CCC). : There existed a statistically significant correlation between IHND and CCC(p = 0.01) as well as IHND and CCS(p= 0.02). However, the IMD had statistically significant correlation with CCC only (p=0.02). : The inter-hamular notch distance can be used as a reliable predictor for straight inter-canine distance and also the combined six maxillary anterior teeth width whereas the palatal width via inter-molar distance can be used for the determining the combined anterior teeth width only.